Politics & Government

Urban Chickens in Iowa City Get Final Nod of Approval from Council

In a surprise unanimous vote, the council finally approved urban chickens after three readings and a much longer time period of debate.


You might be able to go to your neighbor for some fresh eggs soon, Iowa Citians, but only if you give them your permission to have chickens first.

Sounds like a good trade to me.

After very nearly passing the Iowa City urban chicken ordinance at its last meeting, the council was able to come to a unanimous consensus on the final readings, with even longtime opponents Michelle Payne and Terry "Repeatedly Voting Against Chickens" Dickens jumping on board on one of the chicken votes. Although technically Dickens and Payne still voted against the chicken permit process (which passed 5-2), instead joining their colleagues in supporting the chicken neighbor veto.

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The ordinance was approved in two separate remaining parts (after a zonign section passed in the previous meeting), one that established the ordinance for how to properly keep a chicken and another that allowed a neighbor to have veto power over another's desire to get a chicken permit.

The vote was a win for longtime advocates for urban chicken ownership in the city, who had to fight to bring the issue before the city council. Iowa City becomes the latest of several Iowa cities that have adopted urban chicken ordinances, including Cedar Rapids, Mount Vernon, and Ames.

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